Terrible Lie
by Johnny Devlyn
Summary: What if Castle had to lie to Beckett to save her life? Alexis is kidnapped and both women are in danger if Castle doesn't cooperate. I thought it was done, but a chapter was just begging to be added. There's a new chapter 10.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: I was listening to Nine Inch Nails, oddly enough, when the idea for this story presented itself as a simple question: What if Castle had to lie to Beckett? To save her life?**

**So, here is my answer to that question.**

Alexis Castle had grown up to be a very neat teenager. Her belongings all had designated places to live and they could always be found there. Her bed was made every morning by her own hands, a habit she developed years ago, as soon as she had grown tall enough to do it for herself. Anyone who knew her family knew her father wasn't going to do it for her. Her tidiness wasn't a habit her father had encouraged- not that he had discouraged it, either. He just wasn't particular about chores he could hire someone to do for him and his daughter.

This morning though, Alexis's bed was rumpled and messy; most of the items on her night stand had been knocked to the floor. At the sight of that bed, Richard Castle knew something was wrong.

At the sight of his little girl's bed, still rumpled from her night's rest, Castle knew the ransom note was true. Alexis had been taken.

Castle dropped onto Alexis's messy bed and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, fighting the emotions that had his throat constricted and his eyes stinging uncomfortably.

His little girl was gone. Taken from him. From his own house.

In his social life, he was known as fun and charming, but most of all, aloof. He had fun and showed his many dates a good time, but he kept them at arm's length. He let women believe he was shallow and non-committal, but what no one knew was how deeply he did love when he finally let someone in.

The moment Alexis had entered this world- maybe even for months before then if he was being completely honest- his little red headed baby had captured his whole heart. He never knew he could love someone as much as he had instantly loved that noisy, smelly, perfect little baby.

And now she was gone, taken by people who would harm her if Castle didn't give them what they wanted.

_Money_, he thought in disgust. Some creep wanted money in exchange for his daughter. Maybe because he had so much of it, or maybe because he had never known what it was like to live without it, but Castle was not obsessed with money the way many people seemed to be. And these kidnappers wanted money in exchange for the most precious thing he possessed.

Before the emotions building in him had a chance to spill from his eyes, Castle recalled the ransom note's demands. Two million dollars. He could do that. If they wanted money, they could take it. Take it all and he'd be glad so long as they returned his daughter. If they had demanded his life, he'd give it, if that's what it took to protect Alexis. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

He stood quickly, resolved to get Alexis back, when his phone rang.

Without looking at the caller ID, just assuming it would be the kidnappers demanding their blood money, Castle answered the phone, barking, "Where is Alexis?"

"Hi to you too," the familiar voice of Kate Beckett responded, sounding confused. "Isn't Alexis at school this time of day?"

"Beckett," he replied, dumbly. "Hi."

"What's going on, Castle?"

He looked down at the note, clutched carelessly in his hand. More specifically, the line that read, "If you tell that pretty little detective you've been panting after, or any other pig cop, the girl dies. Slowly."

"Castle!?" Kate barked after his too long pause. "What's happening? Where is Alexis?"

Castle finally regained enough composure to chuckle, and almost sound like he meant it. "I'm overreacting. Meredith is in town, and I bet she took Alexis shopping or something. I just got a call from the school saying she was missing, and I guess I panicked a little."

"Oh," Beckett replied hesitantly. She detected something in his voice that she couldn't name, but she didn't like at all. "I'll make some calls. We'll find her for you."

"No!" Rick shouted, then caught himself quickly and cleared his throat. "I mean, it's okay. I know you guys are busy. You only ever call when there's been a murder."

"It's not an issue. We'll find her." Trying to lighten the strained mood a little, she added, "the dead can wait an hour or two while we track down Alexis."

"No," he replied firmly, sounding less panicky and making Beckett regret her unfortunate joke when Castle didn't immediately joke back. "I'll just call Meredith. Like I said, Alexis is probably off with her."

"Okay. Let me know if you need anything," Kate said, then immediately felt embarrassed. But not wanting Castle to catch on, she added in her stern voice, just to be clear, "Help finding Alexis, I mean."

"Sure," he said, distant now. "I need to call Meredith now, Detective Beckett. Bye."

"Bye…" she began, but trailed off when she heard the dead air signaling that the call had been ended.

Kate stared down at her phone for a moment, considering. She couldn't decide whether to risk letting Castle think she actually cared, or let the whole thing go.

After a tortuous moment, she hit the send button on her phone, automatically redialing Castle's number. When the call was sent to voice mail, she huffed an irritated breath and jabbed the end button before the beep.

Confused and surprised, Kate studied her phone for a long minute as if it held the answers to Castle's odd behavior. He hadn't made one suggestive comment or flirty aside. He hadn't called her on her embarrassment, or made any jokes about the body or, well, any jokes at all. He even ignored her call.

And that had Detective Kate Beckett very worried.


	2. Chapter 2

Because he was almost expecting Detective Beckett to try calling a third time, when Castle did get the call he'd been waiting for, it came as a surprise. He checked the caller ID this time, expecting to see the cover art from _Heat Wave_, but the screen only said, "Incoming Call," indicating the calling number had been blocked.

And because of his surprise, he didn't bark at the caller like he had with Detective Beckett; he simply brought the phone to his ear, hesitantly said, "Hello," and then listened as the scrambled voice began listing demands.

Rick hated to say this next part- it made him physically sick to his stomach because of what it may mean for Alexis- but Castle finally found his voice. "You get nothing unless I get some proof Alexis is okay."

The line was silent so long, Rick's stomach felt like a rock in his gut. An agonizing moment later, a whimper sounded over the line, "Daddy?"

"Alexis." The air he hadn't realized he's been holding rushed out of his chest as he said her name. "Are you okay?"

"Daddy, what's going on? Where am I?"

His eyes swam in liquid when he heard her voice. His confident, composed young woman of a daughter sounded like the five-year-old who had been afraid of the dark.

"I'll do anything to get you back, sweetie, I swear! You won't even have time to miss me."

"Daddy!" she called, sounding farther away as the phone was apparently yanked away from her.

The computer scrambled voice came back on and said, "Do what I've told you. By Friday night, or the brat dies."

Then the call was ended.

He was about to go figure out how to get $2 million from his bank, when an insistent knock sounded at his front door.

He opened it without looking through the peep hole, and was instantly shocked. "Detective Beckett?!"

"Can I come in?" she said, but didn't wait for a response.

"What…"

She walked into the loft then turned to face Castle. "I came to check on Alexis," she said.

"She's not here right now."

"Where is she?"

"Uh… she's with Meredith. Shopping. Like I said."

Kate cocked her head to the side and gave him a look. "Really?" she asked, doubtfully.

Castle closed the front door then turned and walked past her, further into the great room. Kate followed him and stood near the kitchen bar. He scanned the air as if hoping the answer to her question would suddenly appear there.

Meanwhile, Kate scanned her surroundings, in the habit of a good cop, and saw the crumpled sheet of computer paper on the counter. She made out the name 'Alexis,' and an amount of money printed on the paper.

"What's this?" she asked, reaching for the paper.

Castle quickly reached out and snatched the paper before she could. "Nothing," he said quickly.

"Castle, what's going on here?" Kate finally demanded, tired of this game.

Castle sighed, and lowered his head, pressing his fists into his eyes. Every time he had thought about calling Beckett that day, he had looked at the note, at the demand to keep her in the dark, and he hadn't called. He had been weighing his options all morning, going through the pros and cons of just calling her and discreetly begging for her help. But in the end, calling her hadn't been an option, not really. Alexis would die if he did and that, too, was not an option.

Then Kate had just appeared. He wouldn't have to call and no one but the two of them would ever have to know he'd told.

He took a deep breath, preparing to begin, when his phone rang.

The screen read, "Incoming Call."

Kate watched as Castle's face drained of color and he put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" he said, hesitantly.

"Get rid of her," the computerized voice demanded. "Before I have to."

Kate couldn't hear what was said, but she noted when Castle's eyes snapped up to lock on hers. And then grew wide in fear when he continued to listen.

She couldn't see the little red dot, trembling right there in the center of her chest, that was the cause Castle's terrified look.

"Who was that?" Kate asked when Castle slowly removed the phone from his ear.

The feeling Rick had that morning, when he found out that Alexis had been taken, that punched-in-the-gut hollow feeling, made a reappearance, and froze the blood in his veins at the sight of that small red light centered on Kate's chest.

"Well?" she prompted impatiently when Castle did nothing but stare at her chest, still looking scared.

The rage he felt for Alexis's kidnappers found an outlet- though misplaced- as he snapped at Beckett, "It's none of your business."

The hurt and surprise on Kate's face are almost enough to stop Rick's words, but the persistent little dot still trembling on her chest refused to go away.

"It's none of your business who calls me," he continued, "and it's none of your business where _my_ daughter is. Now, I have a lot of work to do, so please leave."

Shocked and confused, though refusing to let _Ricky_ see her pain, Kate glared for a second, staring in disbelief at Castle as he walked to the door and held it open for her.

Just as she passed him, Castle softly called, "Kate."

She turned, looking up at his face, and though she was glaring, Rick could see the hurt in her eyes. That look almost broke his resolve, and he prepared to take it all back, but the little red dot reappeared, right on the side of Kate's pretty face.

Rick swallowed hard, and said in a harsh voice, "Don't come back."

"Believe me, I won't," Beckett assured as she left.

Rick closed and locked the door behind her. Then, with his back against the door, Castle slid down until he was sitting with his head between his knees.

His relationship with Kate was already tenuous to start with. She didn't want him tagging along on his cases, at least she hadn't in the beginning. She had finally started accepting- maybe even enjoying- his company as of late. But he was pretty sure he had just killed any chance of continuing their relationship.

Kate Beckett was better off, far away from him, if this whole mess was any indication of what could happen to the people he cared about.

Rick Castle dragged himself up, and went off to try and figure out how to get $2 million from his bank.


	3. Chapter 3

Kate drove back to the precinct, her hands clenched on the steering wheel.

"Damn him," she muttered angrily.

She fumed the entire drive back to the station, wondering who the hell he thought he was, telling _her_ to go away. She'd been telling him to go away since the day they met- maybe not literally, but the sentiment was there. And now she shows the merest hint of actually caring about him, and he treats her like a one-night-stand who can't take a hint.

_Who the hell was he?_

Yet another red light had her hitting the steering wheel in frustration.

At the precinct, Beckett employed her superior powers of compartmentalizing to put Castle out of her mind, and work on reducing the stacks of paperwork sitting on her desk. And for about an hour, it worked. Well, it _did_ take her an hour to get to the point where she could get some work done, then the hour of actually accomplishing something. Next came an hour of making it appear- to the untrained eye- as if she were still working.

Kate headed home early, Ryan and Esposito already handling the case she'd called Castle about earlier in the day. Kate had cleared her schedule specifically so she could find out what kind of trouble Castle was in, and then help him fix it. Anyway, it had turned out to be a 'Jack shot Jill over Bill' kinda case. The guys could handle it on their own.

At home, after a long, hot shower, Kate had every intention of following the nightly ritual of dinner with a good book, but was confronted with a problem. There were specific books she read when she'd had a particularly upsetting day. Her favorite books that helped the rest of her chaotic life melt away and let her lose herself in someone else's life for a little while were all _his_ books. She stared up at the top two shelves of her well-stocked book case and fumed. At the moment, she hated that _his_ words were a source of comfort for her on her worst days.

She reached up, spread her hand over several books, and yanked _his_ words off the shelf. The crash the books made when they landed on the wood floor was almost deafening in the otherwise silent room. For a moment she had had every intention of pulling down all of Castles books and throwing them away, but as she stared down at the books on the floor, she knew she wouldn't go through with it.

The man may be a bastard, in her opinion, but his words had been the source of all her strength and comfort for so many years. She wasn't about to give that up now.

But she wasn't going to be spending the night thinking about him while reading one of his books, so she ate quickly and went to bed.

It was while she was turning over for the twentieth time, punching her pillow in frustration, that she had an epiphany.

Richard Castle _did_ care about her. He wouldn't have dedicated Heat Wave to her if he didn't. Well, maybe he would have, since she _was_ him 'muse,' but to dedicate it to 'the extraordinary KB'? That was not something Castle would say if he didn't mean it. He may be a jerk, but he was a genuine jerk.

But that was only one part of the epiphany, and the smallest part at that. She could site myriad examples of Castle demonstrating his feelings for her, if she were of a mind to.

More importantly, Kate had seen Rick with his daughter. She hadn't observed enough of their interactions to see the true depth of the bond between them, but she knew Castle enough to see that he was the kind of man who would do anything to protect the people he loved, however misguided his actions were.

So if he sent Kate away, feigning anger, then he had a damn good reason. A reason that had him looking terrified one moment, then sending her away the next. She had thought there was nothing on Earth that could get Rick Castle to leave her alone. But she realized a threat on his daughter's life would probably do it.

So there was the epiphany; Castle was shunning her to save his daughter's life. Someone was threatening harm to Alexis, and the idiot was trying to handle the situation without her.

And Detective Kate Beckett was not about to let him handle the situation by himself.

Later that night, Castle's phone rang and he answered it without looking. "Hello?" He said, sounding hesitant. He would have the money in the morning so was waiting to hear from the kidnappers for further instructions.

"Bonjour," a husky, accented voice replied. "Is this Ricky?" the woman said with a smile, recalling the only time she'd every used that particular moniker for the author. She had been making fun of his then.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"You do no now? _A vrai dire_, I am disappointed."

"I'm sorry…"

"_C'est bon_. I forgive you."

"So, how can I help you?"

"It is not about you helping me, it is how I can help you. I know your situation. I believe I can help you."

There was something familiar about her voice, though he was sure he didn't know any French girls. "How can you help me?"

"Come to the restaurant down the street and I will tell you."

"Um," he began.

She cut him off sensing his negative response. "Please, Castle. Trust me. Come to café. Ask for Nikki," she said, and then hung up.

He stared at the phone in his hand in confusion. When she had called him 'Castle,' she had sounded so much like Detective Beckett, but why would she be speaking with some weird accent?

He was just confused enough that without further thought, he grabbed his coat and was out the door.

**Author's Note: It was probably obvious, but I don't speak French. I'm trying to learn, so if there are any mistakes, or if someone actually knows what I should have said, let me know and I'll fix it. **_**A vrai dire**_**, according to my phrase book, means, 'to tell the truth', and I guessed for the second phrase, but it's supposed to be something like 'it's good.'**


	4. Chapter 4

"Bonjour," the pretty young hostess smiled when he entered the busy restaurant. "How many?" she had a slight accent, though not as thick as the mystery woman on the phone.

"I'm meeting someone," he finally told the girl. "I'm meeting Nikki?"

"Oh," she said, lighting up. "You must be Mr. Castle." She came around the podium and held out her hand. "I am Victoria."

"Pleased to meet you, Victoria," He said politely.

She beamed at him. "Your table is this way."

"Thank you," he said, distracted. Ordinarily, he might have charmed the girl then watched her backside as she led the way to his table. But he was busy scanning the crowd for a familiar face, or even a face that might be looking back for him. Besides, she was on the wrong side of 25 for Castle. Now that Alexis was looking more and more like a mature young woman, going after girls with her freshness and innocence just seemed wrong.

"Your table, Mr. Castle," Victoria had turned to face him, gesturing to a table in a relatively secluded corner of the room.

"Thank you," he said again, still scanning.

Smiling kindly, sensing his distraction, Victoria said, "Nikki will be with you in just a few moments."

He finally looked at the girl, at her kind smile and actually smiled back. But before he could thank her- yet again- she turned and walked away.

Something about Victoria, maybe her kindness, or her youth, made him think about Alexis and how much he missed her. Being a single parent- the parent of a teenage girl especially- wasn't always easy. But without Alexis, his life meant nothing anymore. His success as an author, his popularity- especially with women- were hollow achievements without his little girl at home keeping him grounded.

And this Nikki was offering information.

He went back to scanning the restaurant.

The lighting was dim, but just bright enough to see everyone and everything clearly. Candles on every table made the air smoky and romantic.

From his table in the corner, he could see the stage where a small band accompanied the sultry voice of a woman singing in French. The way she crooned the words made it obvious she sang words of love, but his attention was still on the front door and the crowd milling in front.

His eyes could only do so many sweeps of the room before he lost patience. He was about to sigh when a waiter approached the table.

"Allo," the young man began. "Would you like to order a drink while you wait?" he had a French accent too.

"Wine, please?"

"Tres bien. I will bring you Nikki's favorite."

Before Castle could ask what that meant, the young man walked away. How did everyone seem to know this Nikki and that he was waiting for her? For a clandestine meet, this was far too common knowledge in his opinion.

And tired of scanning the crowd now, he decided to check out the talent. From what he'd heard- and actually paid attention to- the singer had a sexy voice, and he was hoping the face to go with the vocals. If he was forced to wait on some secret informant, no reason he couldn't try to enjoy the wait.

The singer was stunning. He barely noted a small band and a prominently displayed grand piano, but the woman stationed in front of the piano commanded his undivided attention. She wore an off white, close fitting satin skirt and corset top. Transparent black hose and satin pumps encased her slim legs and feet. The lacy shawl she wore slipped from her shoulder as he watched her sing, revealing porcelain skin. The corset pushed her breasts above the neckline and in the dim light, her white skin glowed. A soft cloud of curly dark brown hair surrounded her pale face. She had high cheek bones and full lips painted a deep red.

Her smoky shadowed eyes were closed as she sang her French love words into the microphone. She tilted her head as he watched, her long slender fingers coming up to sweep down her neck in a motion designed to go with her words.

He suddenly wished he'd paid attention in his high school French classes instead of staring at the pretty teacher.

There was something intriguing about her face. She looked so familiar, but he was sure he'd have remembered a beautiful French singer.

The singer's voice turned somber and she finally opened her eyes. Her deep green eyes looked straight at Castle, and when she watched his mouth fall open in shock, Kate smiled as she finished the song.


	5. Chapter 5

There was applause when the song ended.

She finally looked away from Castle, took a small bow and thanked the audience for the applause.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the beautiful Nicolette," the pianist announced as Kate-parading-as-Nikki stepped down from the stage.

The crowd clapped again and she made her way through the tables, smiling and nodding thanks to people who complimented her voice.

She knew Castle's eyes followed her every move, so even though she had just adjusted her shawl over her shoulder, she let it fall again, making the move look natural.

Kate had always loved the way Castle obviously admired her. She wasn't tempted to go there with him, not really. She knew far too much about Richard Castle, New York's favorite playboy, to be dumb enough to fall into the trap of loving him. But she loved the way he obviously wanted her. And she loved the way he always responded when she baited him.

Kate pretended to hate his attentions and innuendoes, but it made her feel good knowing that to Castle, she was desirable. Too often, the guys at work treated her like just another guy, but Castle never seemed to forget she was a woman. She'd even begun provoking his comments, because she knew he'd rise to the bait every time.

There were no more tables for her to focus on, so she had to face him now. When their eyes met, she smiled and crossed the last few feet to their private table.

Castle rose at her approach and moved around the table to pull her seat out for her. But Kate stepped up to him, and simply waited until he was facing her.

Placing her hands on his shoulders, she leaned into him to kiss both of his cheeks in a traditional European greeting.

When she pulled away again, she was smirking at him. "Your face is priceless," she said by way of greeting. "I wish I had a camera."

She was still speaking with a French accent and Castle wished she would stop. He already exerted all the little self control he possessed hiding just how attractive he really thought she was, but with the accent, her voice sounded husky and seductive and in five minutes time, if she didn't step away and remove the view he had down her body, she and the rest of the restaurant would soon see just how sexy he found her.

Seeing his face, noting that his eyes were locked on her neckline, Kate swore she could read Castle's thoughts. Pleasure at his obvious admiration warmed her body, but she had a part to play; she was the uninterested detective masquerading as a sexy French lounge singer.

Pulling up some of her own self control, and coloring her words with annoyance she didn't truly feel, Kate said, "Castle, my eyes are up here."

His eyes readjusted to her face, and he finally smiled. "Why, De-"

Her hand shot up and covered his mouth before he could finish that word. She leaned her body into his, keeping millimeters of separation between them, and said, "I go to all the trouble of setting up this… dinner, and you nearly blow it in the first three seconds by saying the wrong name."

"Sorry… _Nikki_," he said, cocking an eyebrow. His lips moved against her fingers as he spoke, and when Kate realized it- felt his soft mouth moving against her fingertips- she lowered her hand.

She smiled and said, "I thought you would appreciate that. Now help me to my chair."

She turned to sit and Castle pushed chair into the table for her. But before resuming his own seat, he put his hand on her bare shoulder and bent close to her. His thumb brushed back and forth over her skin as he spoke, "I just wanted to make sure I told you; you look stunning."

Kate's head tuned to stare down at his hand, then her lashes swept up to give him one of her famous Detective Beckett glares. "Merci," she said without inflection. "Now please take your chair before I am forced to break your thumb."

Castle smiled, unrepentant, and took his seat across from her.

Kate's heart was beating fast, her skin where he had touched her still warm. She had been acutely aware of the proximity of his long fingers to her chest, and she found her breath now coming fast. As of late, Kate had become an expert at hiding these reactions from Castle. She loved the way he made her feel feminine and beautiful and desirable- even in 'cop casual' wear- but she refused to let Castle see how he affected her. She couldn't stand to see him get all smug if he ever found out.

But tonight, she was playing part. She was a sexy French woman out on a date with a handsome author. So she took a deep breath, allowing her breasts to swell above the corset and gave her own smug smile when his gaze flicked down.

Kate finally leaned forward to speak, his eyes still far too low. "Your eyes are going to fall out of your head, _Ricky_," she teased. "And I will not be helping you put them back."

He looked up then, shaking his head, but clearly amused. "Who _are_ you? What's going on?"

"I am your date. For _one_ night," she felt compelled to add.

"You said you could help me."

"Shhh," she hushed, her deep red lips pursing prettily. "That will come later. For now, we will have dinner, and chat and appear to be having a fabulous time. Then we will leave together and I will take you to my apartment. Then we will talk."

"Just talk?" he teased, pouting a little. "That doesn't sound very fun."

"Ah," she sighed. "There is the old Castle I know and am irritated by. I haven't seen him in days." She studied his face as she spoke, and though he had on a smile for her, Kate could see the worry and fear constantly in the back of his mind. It hadn't been hard for her find out what had Castle acting so out of character, and her heart broke for him and his daughter.

The subtle reminder of his recent behavior and the reason behind it sobered him quickly. "You have information about…" he asked, trailing off before saying any names.

"Oui. But we will talk about that later. You are being followed," she added quietly. "But you knew that."

He simply nodded his head. Trying to push his worries to the back of his head- at least for the time being- he decided to tease Beckett a little. "So I'll finally be allowed to see your home? So what is it? French countryside, or dungeon chic?"

She smiled, but didn't reply when the waiter returned.

Kate began a conversation in rapid French with the young man, laughing several times during the course of the conversation. She seemed completely comfortable excluding Castle from the conversation, though he spent the next several minutes glaring at the side of her pretty head.

Eventually the tone of the conversation changed, the man made a note in his little book, and he walked away.

"Hey!" Castle complained when she turned to face him again. "I didn't get to order. And what was that all about?"

"I ordered for you," Kate said simply, ignoring the second question.

"What did you order?"

"It's a surprise," she teased.

"Oh, no, you didn't order… something weird, did you?"

She smiled wickedly and said, "Trust me, Ricky," – a response that only made him more nervous.

**Author's note: If you like the idea of Beckett with a French accent - or at least the actress who plays her- then I would recommend the movie "The Librarian; Curse of the Judas Chalice." It was a great movie! And who knew she could sing?? She has a great voice! I really hope they find a way to fit that into the show. **


	6. Chapter 6

For an hour they talked and they ate- which Castle actually enjoyed- and they laughed. They kept the conversation light, keeping with the date appearance. The only serious moment came when Kate told a story about her mother and why she had learned French.

"My mother used to speak French to me when I was a child. She leaned when she was in high school, so she encouraged me to take classes when I started. The entire four years I was in school, we would play this game. Nearly every weekend, we went to have lunch at a small restaurant near our home. It was owned by a French family and all of the waiters spoke French. My mom and I would pretend to be French too and for the hour we were there, we weren't allowed to say anything in English." Kate had been studying the table cloth as she spoke, and when she looked up, Castle saw tears welling in her eyes. She cleared her throat delicately, and smiled bravely. "I found this place a few years ago and started the old game up again. Only this time I actually have these people convinced I was born and raised in Paris."

"How often do you sing here?" Rick was hypnotized by her voice, and honored to be hearing this story she obviously told very few people in her life.

"Never. This is the first time I've even told anyone I could sing. I've had some training, but when my mother died… I couldn't find anything to sing about." She looked away from Castle as a tear finally broke free, and fell to the table. She swiped under her eye delicately with the tips of her fingers, and then folded her hands on the table.

Not knowing- for once- what to say, Castle leaned forward and placed his large, warm hand over her slender wrist and just held it there for a moment. "Well," he finally said in a happy tone, trying to lighten the air and stop her tears, "You have an amazing voice. I'm glad I got the opportunity to hear you sing." Then to tease her- cause, come on, he's _Richard Castle_, that's what he does- he said, "It was sexy as hell."

Kate rolled her eyes for his benefit, then looked at him pointedly and said, "I only did this for _her_. You are not the only one who would do _anything_ to protect Alexis."

"Thank you," he said, simply, his turn to be overcome by emotion.

Throughout dinner, Kate never once dropped her accent. Going against all Castle-related instinct and keeping up the charade, she remained the flirty French woman, and found she was actually enjoying herself. Without her barriers and tough outer shell, Rick actually stopped the innuendoes and just had a pleasant conversation. They were just two people enjoying each other's company as opposed to the usual; Castle pick-pick-picking at the careful barriers she built, trying to get under her skin.

The waiter came back then to inquire about desert and when Castle looked as if he might agree, Kate had to remind him, "We should be going Ricky. We have much to talk about." Kate was surprised she had to remind him of the purpose of this 'date.' _He must actually be enjoying himself_, she realized. And that realization had Kate smiling in pleasure. "Besides," she added, leaning forward. "I have desert waiting for us at my place."

Rick knew it was an act, he knew she was only playing a part, but hearing Detective Kate Beckett make a suggestive comment- directed at _him_- instantly affected him. When he spoke, his lowered voice was directed at the waiter, but his eyes never left Kate's face. "We're ready for the check now."

Kate looked away from his gaze, her cheeks turning a pretty pink.

"Tres bien," the waiter said, slightly amused. He set down a little black folder and walked away.

Castle grabbed the folder before Kate had time to think about it, inserted an appropriate bill, and then rose. He had intended on assisting Kate with her chair again- just to be polite- but he found her standing by his side when he stepped around the table.

"Shall we?" Castle said, gesturing for Kate to walk ahead of him.

She gave him a brief look, suspecting that he was not being polite so much as he was trying to get a better view of her back side, but she walked ahead of him anyway. And found she liked the idea of Rick checking her out. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and he would not be touching, so she found her hips swaying just a little more than necessary as she headed to the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Outside, Kate subtly led the way and Castle followed. They passed several darkened shop windows before either spoke.

"So," Rick began. "If we're on a date… shouldn't I hold your hand?"

Kate quickly pictured holding Rick Castle's hand and was immediately off-put by even that simple intimacy between them. So she cast him a side-ways look of annoyance she didn't actually feel, and said, "How did you phrase it?" She pretended to think for a moment, though she had Heat Wave practically memorized by now. "That would slow down my quick draw."

And even though she had technically said no, and her heart picked up to a quick tempo, she tucked her hand into his elbow.

_I have to keep up appearances_, she thought, justifying her actions to herself. _This little play isn't quite over yet_.

"Wait," Rick suddenly said under his breath, pulling her to a stop. "You're wearing a gun?" Turning to face her, but not letting her arm go, he made a quick- but thorough- visual sweep of her body. "Where?" He said when the visual inventory was done and he detected no odd bulges in the tight satin skirt and corset that would indicate a weapon. He could barely see how she managed to squeeze herself into that get up, much less finding a place to conceal a weapon.

She gave him one of her enigmatic little smiles and simply said, "Don't ask."

He narrowed his eyes at her, but let the question go. When they started walking again, Castle finally heard the footsteps behind them, trailing at a discreet distance.

"We're being followed," Castle said on a breath so quiet, Kate wouldn't have heard it if the street weren't deserted.

"You are just now noticing?" She whispered back, teasing. "He's been tailing you for days now."

He glanced at her in shock, and she rolled her eyes. _When would men stop underestimating a pretty woman?_ She wondered.

Suddenly, Kate spun, pulling Rick into an empty doorway alcove, though expertly making it appear as if he had pulled her. Kate also managed to get a glimpse of the man behind them. He was a big guy, in a hat and a baggy jacket.

Though, now she was stuck in a darkened doorway with her back to a brick wall and Castle's body millimeters from her own.

"What are we doing?" Rick asked, a bit breathlessly, in Kate's opinion.

"We are getting a glimpse of the bad guy." She replied. "And we have to make it appear as if we are on a date, don't we Ricky?"

"What…?" he trailed off, a bit dumbfounded.

She rolled her eyes and tried to sound annoyed. "Just kiss me, Castle."

Rick's eyes widened in shock before they slowly moved down to stare at her lips. He caught the movement of her tongue as it darted out to moisten her lips, and he stared, transfixed.

With a finger under her chin, he tilted her face up a fraction and moved in to kiss her.

If Kate had consciously thought about kissing Rick Castle, she would have imagined him to be passionate and maybe even aggressive, going as far as he could as fast as he could. She might have even preferred that from him, because she was prepared to stop him quickly if she needed to. But that's not the kind of kiss he gave her.

The first touch of his lips was a feather light brush across her mouth. Kate's eyes slid closed as she waited for him to deepen the kiss, but for a long moment, he did nothing but faintly brush his lips across hers, almost teasing her. Her breathing sped up until she parted her lips to get more air.

And that turned out to be the cue Rick had been waiting for. The pressure of his mouth against hers increased; first as he kissed her upper lip, then more as he kissed her lower lip.

Kate belatedly realized Rick was waiting on some response from her before he proceeded to the next step of the kiss. And that knowledge, as well as the kiss itself, had her heart racing and her breath coming fast. Castle was letting her control the kiss and how fast or slow it progressed- or if it progressed at all.

A long moment passed as he continued softly kissing her lower lip before she finally tilted her head. His mouth finally closed over hers, and an involuntary little noise sounded at the back of her throat. Without conscious thought, her hand rose to his neck and she buried her fingers in the soft hair at the back of his head, pressing his mouth harder to her own.

When his tongue tentatively touched her lower lip, her own darted out to dance with his. Kate's free arm wrapped around his back and pulled his body flat against her. And Rick's hands finally moved to touch her, running up and down the bare skin of her arms and shoulders.

Rick was terrified of pushing her too far, too fast. Throughout the night, he had noticed how different her behavior was, regardless of the 'performance.' When he stopped the flirting and innuendoes, she opened up to him more than he had ever seen her. He had a feeling she expected him to be all over her given half a chance, and he knew she had a defense all planned out in case it happened. But he was finally being allowed to touch her, and he was going to make it last as long as he could. And hopefully be given the chance of touching her again later if he didn't offend her now.

So, Rick kept his hand in the relatively safe areas of her arms, her neck and her shoulders. His fingertips just barely brushed her collar bones when she finally pulled away, panting for air.

Kate's head swam- equal parts pleasure and oxygen deprivation- turning her vision momentarily hazy. She had never had that kind of reaction to a simple kiss before; her body tingled from head to toe, in reaction to him. And it scared her more than if Castle had tried to jump her in the middle of the street.

He watched her as she tried to calm her breathing, and she tilted her head back to rest against the brick wall. The touch of his forehead against her own had Kate feeling trapped. She felt the sudden, desperate need to run for cover. And he seemed content to continue pressing her into the wall all night long. She shouldn't have kissed Castle, she knew that. He was going to be unbearable after this, trying to get her to reenact page 105 with him. And it wasn't going to happen. Nikki Heat may be okay with a one-night-stand with a handsome writer, but Kate Beckett was not Nikki Heat, and the sooner Castle realized that the better.

It had been an amazing kiss though. She wished they could just leave it at a kiss though and forget it even happened.

A car door slammed nearby, and Rick knew this scene with Kate was over. He buried his fingers in her soft, curly hair and pressed his mouth to hers once more as a car drove past them and their follower drove away.

He was supremely surprised when she didn't immediately push him away, but let him kiss her for another moment until he knew it was time to leave.

They still had a lot to talk about.


	8. Chapter 8

Rick followed Kate as she led the way down a long hallway. Stopping in front of the last door, Kate turned to face him, and said, "Key's under the mat." She had finally dropped the accent.

"Okay," he said, not taking the hint.

"Come on, Castle, I'm not about to bend over right in front of you in this dress."

He chuckled, but let the comment go. Without the accent, this close to finally talking about Alexis, Castle's mind was occupied with more important matters.

Obtaining the key, Rick unlocked the door, then let Kate precede him into the room. She went in, looking comfortable in the space, while Castle stood just inside the doorway taking it all in.

"Wow, this is… not what I expected," Castle said, looking around the sparse, dingy apartment.

"This isn't actually my apartment, Castle," Kate said in a tone that suggested he should have already known this. "The department keeps this place in case they need it for anything."

"Oh," he said, sounding disappointed, and then shrugged. "So, Alexis?"

Kate slipped back into her Detective Beckett role, the sexy French woman thoroughly abandoned. "We found her," she said, the confident detective back in her voice. "She's a very smart girl. She left her cell phone on, but hidden, so it hasn't been taken from her. We tracked it this afternoon to a warehouse where we believe she's being held in an office room inside. The place has been under surveillance all evening, but we have yet to actually see Alexis."

Castle stared at her for a long moment, many emotions crossing his face before he blurted, "Damn it!" he suddenly dropped to the couch and shoved his hands through his hair. "There was a reason I didn't tell you," he said, barely keeping himself from shouting. "Don't you think you were the first person I considered to help me? But I had a reason for not telling you."

"I know," she said simply. "They threatened to harm her if you called the police, right?"

"Not just her," he said angrily.

"What?"

"They threatened her if I called the police, of course. And they threatened to kill you."

She scoffed, then started to say, "Castle…"

"No," he cut her off. "She's my daughter, but… I care about you, too. Interpret that however you want, but it means I don't want to see you dead. Especially because of me. If I could keep you safe, by keeping you in the dark… by lying to you… even if it means you never speak to me again. So be it."

"That's very noble of you, Castle," she said condescendingly. "But we found her. Even with you in my way, I was able to _do my job_, and find out everything you were trying to hide. As well as finding Alexis."

"And if they find out, they'll… " he trailed off, unable to complete that thought in regard to his daughter.

"We've been watching them all afternoon, and they have no idea they're under surveillance. SWAT will move early in the morning to get her back."

"No!" he practically shouted. "You get them out of there. That's my daughter's life you're risking. I have the ransom- I'm set to trade tomorrow at noon. Get the cops _out of there_ and let _me_ go get Alexis."

"Rick, listen to me," Kate sounded calm and sure, she even put her hand on his shoulder trying to settle him. "The kidnappers have no idea we're there. Several men have been seen going in and out of the warehouse, two of which have also been seen taking turns following you. Every four hours, they change guards, and at the next switch, SWAT is ready to take them down before they can get back to Alexis. If everything goes according to plan, there won't even be a guard near Alexis."

He glared up at her bitterly, and said, "How often does 'everything go according to plan'?"

She leaned closer, making sure he was looking at her when she said, "She will be safe, Rick. We will keep her safe."

"She's my little girl," he said as he stared up at Kate. "I want to take care of this myself. I want SWAT out of there, so I can bring her home _safely_."

She studied his face for a moment, remembered past cases they had been on together, and knew he could do this. "Okay," she said quietly. "I'll call them off."

A phone suddenly rang, startling them both.

Kate's cell phone sat on the scarred coffee table, ringing insistently. She grabbed the phone, pressed the button and then held the phone to her ear. "Beckett," she said.

She just listened for a long minute, her gaze locking on Castle, her expression turning worried. "Okay, I'll be there soon," she finally said, then hung up.

"What was that?" Rick asked, her expression making him uneasy.

She stared at him for a long moment, hesitant and even a little nervous. Finally she just said, "SWAT's moving."


	9. Chapter 9

Beckett quickly changed and they left the apartment. There was little traffic this late at night, so every time she came to a red light, she flipped the lights on her car and drove through. Castle knew she was moving as quickly as she could, but he wished she'd move faster. Every time he thought about Alexis in the middle of a SWAT tactical maneuver, he wanted to throw up, hit something and scream all at the same time. Instead, he sat in the passenger seat in tense silence, his fingernails digging into his palms as he clenched his fists. It was hell for him to have to do it, but he made Beckett stop by his loft on the way so he could get the case with the $2 million. Just in case.

"We're two blocks away," Kate said at one point, but Castle just nodded and kept quiet.

Finally, she came to an abrupt halt next to a huge van, labeled 'delivery' but what they both knew was the intelligence center for the entire SWAT operation.

"Hey, Beckett," an officer greeted her happily. "We were just taking out the trash."

Kate half smiled, but got straight to the point. "Where's Alexis?"

"Oh, the girl? SWAT's just now moving on the room where we think she's being held. We took out all the guards first. Every man we've seen entering or leaving the building is already accounted for. We've got them." He said happily

A radio crackled, and a fuzzy voice said, "We're moving on the room… we see the girl… shit, she's not alone… we have a hostage situation."

Before he could hear more, Castle was running.

"Castle," Beckett shouted, immediately running after him. "Stop!" But he didn't stop, didn't even look back, just took off for the building where his daughter was being held.

The warehouse was a huge open space, with a row of office rooms near the back. Most had windows, but the room in the very corner had blacked out windows, and several SWAT officers crowded the doorway. Rick shouldered his way between two officers, and took in the scene before him. His baby girl was being held by the big man who had been following him only an hour ago. Her eyes were covered by a black sleeping mask, and she was still wearing the blue, bunny printed pajamas she'd gone to bed in the night before she'd been taken. The man held a gun straight to her head.

Rick stepped into the room and held up his hands, one of which was holding a silver briefcase. "I have your money, just let Alexis go."

"Daddy," Alexis whimpered before the man tightened his arm around her throat, cutting off further words.

"Get me out of here, with the money, and she's yours," the man said, his voice calm but determined. He pressed the gun harder to Alexis's head, and added, "Otherwise she dies."

"Fine," he said, trying to keep calm as well, though his heart was breaking and he still felt like hitting something- namely, the guy holding a gun on his daughter. "Detective Beckett will just call these men out of here. Right, Beckett," he added, calling loudly.

"Castle," she began, a denial in her voice.

"Kate," Rick turned his head to look at her, his eyes begging. "Please."

She stared at him for a long moment, but called, "Come on, guys, back up."

Kate and the three SWAT officers moved back, but kept their weapons trained on the man holding Alexis. The SWAT officers disappeared into the shadows of the big room, while Kate waited just outside, her weapon ready, but aimed at the ground.

"Okay, Rick," the man said. "Open that case now and show me what's inside."

He did as he was told, saying, "Two million, just like you asked."

"Good. Now close it and give it to the girl."

"You're not leaving with her," Castle barked.

"Just do what I said and hand the case to the girl," he snapped, finally sounding angry.

"Alexis," Castle said gently, trying to sound reassuring. "Hold up your hand, sweetie."

"Daddy," she gasped, but was cut off when the man moved his hand to the back of her neck, and gripped hard.

"Shut up," the man snapped, jerking her roughly by her neck. Castle could see her chin tremble, as she held in her cries of pain, trying to keep quiet. But she raised her arm and Castle held the case up until the handle was just under hand. She took the case and let it fall to her side.

The man aimed his gun at Castle now, motioning him out the door. "Move," he barked.

Castle moved backward, facing his daughter and her kidnapper. Kate joined him just outside the door, and they kept backing away as the man moved out of the office room. He held his gun out, pointed at Castle and Beckett, and his other hand stayed at the back of Alexis's neck, pushing her forward and using her as a human shield.

Suddenly, Alexis moved, swinging the case in her hand, hitting the man's gun hand up and bashing the case into the side of his head. He stumbled to the side, releasing Alexis's neck. Alexis immediately dropped to the ground, and as he whirled to aim his gun at someone, several pops sounded and the man crumpled to the floor.

Castle rushed to his daughter, gathered her in his arms, and carried her out of the building. Needing no one to tell her who carried her, Alexis wrapped her arms around her dad and held on as he ran. They didn't stick around to see Kate and the SWAT team make sure the bad guy stayed down.

Rick made his way to Detective Beckett's car, climbing in the back with Alexis and just held his daughter, finally removing the mask from her eyes. Her big green eyes poured tears as she stared up at her dad, and he smiled at her, feeling whole again for the first time in what seemed like months. He pressed his lips into her hair, then clutched her head to his chest.

"I am never letting anything like that happen to you ever again," he said fervently.

Alexis just buried her face in this chest and finally felt safe again.

Half an hour later, Kate climbed into the drivers' seat and started the car.

Now sitting next to her dad, his arms still wrapped around her, Alexis looked up at Detective Beckett. "Detective," she said.

Kate turned to look back, and smiled in a reassuring way. "How are you doing, Alexis?"

She tried to smile back, almost succeeding, but tears well in her eyes. So she shrugged, and said instead, "Those men… they kept me in that room for days, and they made me wear the mask the whole time. I don't think I can help you identify them…"

"Alexis," Kate interrupted, though her voice was kind. "You will never have to see those men again. We got them all. You're safe now. Okay?"

"Okay," Alexis agreed, finally able to smile a little. Kate drove them to the loft, and before they got out, Rick put his hand on her shoulder and said fervently, "Thank you, Kate."

"I'm glad she's safe," she replied.

Father and daughter went up to their home, glad the hellish night was behind them.


	10. Chapter 10

Late the next morning, as Kate lounged in her living room, pretending to read one of Castle's books, but actually worrying how Alexis was doing, there was a short knock on her door.

Wondering who would be bothering her at home, Kate slowly made her way to the door.

"Castle," she said, shocked when the door revealed the author. "How did you know where I live?"

He scoffed, amused, and said "I've known for months. But I respected your privacy. Today, I thought we should talk." He smiled, and leaned in to kiss her.

Before he came too close, Kate leaned away and took a step back. "What do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

"I was going to kiss you," he said, stating the obvious and sounding confused. "After the other night…"

"The other night," Kate snapped, cutting him off. "Was an act."

Rick scoffed dismissively. "I've been married twice, Kate," he said. "I know when a woman is faking. And when she's not."

"So I enjoyed the kiss," she said, holding on to her anger to cover the blush that colored her cheeks. "That doesn't mean I want a repeat performance."

"Why not?" he asked, his hand moving up to touch her arm. When she backed away from his touch, he let his arm fall again. "We could be great together."

"I'm not Nikki Heat, Castle." She snapped at him. "I don't have sport sex. I'm the one-and-done type, remember? And that means I'm very choosey about the men I sleep with. Did you know I didn't sleep with Will until we'd been together for two months? And I barely even _like_ you," she lied, provoked by her anger at him. "I know you, Castle. I know what you want from me, and I'm telling you now. It. Won't. Happen."

He shook his head in denial. "You don't know me if…"

"Yes, Rick, I do. I've followed your career for years," she admitted, not able to continue looking at him. she hated admitting this to him, but was compelled to anyway. "I began reading your books just before my mother died, and when she did… your books helped me through the toughest nights. So when I saw your name in papers and magazines, I read about Richard Castle the author, too. I even began playing a kind of game with myself." She said with dark humor, finally looking at Castle again. "Guess the celebutante Mr. Castle will be dating next week. I was actually right a few times."

"You of all people should know by now. No one is ever what they appear to be." His voice turned cold as he said, "You wanna guess how many of those girls I actually slept with? You'd be surprised."

"No," she said, his cold, distant voice left her feeling hollow. One thing she took for granted about Castle was that she could push and push and push him away, yet he'd always seemed to come back. Maybe he _did_ have a limit after all.

"None of them," he finally said, when her silence stretched on. "Every single one of those 'dates' were for publicity. Mostly for the girls. They thought they'd get more attention if they were seen dating one of 'New York's most eligible bachelors'. None of them meant anything to me, and having a teenage daughter at home, I wasn't about the parade those girls through my house." He shook his head, disappointed. "I guess it's good to know what you think about me. I mean, I know I perpetuate the rumors, but I thought you'd be smart enough to realize… nevermind. You know what, it doesn't matter. I'll see you around, Kate."

What that, he turned around and left. As Kate closed the door, she knew she had made a mistake. She didn't know what she was going to do to fix it, or even if she should. But the thought of never seeing Castle again, even if he was often annoying, had Kate feeling like she had just ruined the one good thing in her life.

**Author's note: I had thought this story was done, but I had a scene that I had had to cut, cause it didn't fit where I had originally intended to put it. It was going to be in the apartment scene just before they talked about Alexis, but I got there and realized he wouldn't be able to think about anything other than finding Alexis. But he wouldn't just let the issue go, especially in regard to Kate, I mean, he's Castle! Right? So here is the new chapter 10. I really hope it meshes. It should.**


	11. Chapter 11

There was a soft knock on the door and Alexis's heart jumped in her chest. She scanned the room, but no one else could have heard the knock. She considered calling her dad before opening the door, but silently scolded herself for being so scared. _The kidnappers were caught. They're in jail_, she silently reminded her self. With a deep breath, she crossed to the door… and peeked through the little security window.

Detective Beckett was looking down the hall.

Alexis smiled and opened the door.

"Alexis," Kate said, surprised. "I didn't think you'd be allowed to open the door."

She smiled and pointed to the little round hole in the door. "I checked first."

"How are you doing?" she asked, sincerely interested.

"I'm still jumpy and nervous," she admitted hesitantly. "But I'm sure I'll be better when we move to California."

"You're moving?" Kate finally looked around the loft, noting the boxes and possessions out of place throughout the great room.

"Yeah, after, well, you know, my dad thought…"

"Alexis!?" Rick called from the top of the stairs, alarmed.

"It's okay dad," she opened the door wider, revealing the woman just outside the door, "It's just Detective Beckett."

Kate stepped inside, and Alexis finally closed the door.

"Still," Rick approached, wrapping his arm around his daughter. "You shouldn't be answering the door."

"Daddy," Alexis admonished. "I checked first."

Rick sighed, but said nothing further to his little girl. "Detective. What can I do for you?"

"I just came by to check on Alexis."

"Well, I'm fine," she said, then turned to her dad. "I'm gonna go start packing in my room." Alexis hurried away, while Kate and Rick made their way into his office.

"You're moving?" she finally said.

"Yes," he said, avoiding Kate's eyes. "After everything, I just can't stay in New York. It's not safe for Alexis here."

"It's not Alexis they were after. It was you."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? Send her to her mother? You met the woman."

"No, but… Hire body guards or something."

"She was taken from home! From her own room. Body guards wouldn't help."

"Then get better security. A toddler could break into this place. I know people, you know. I could get you numbers."

Rick shook his head, not wanting to argue anymore. "We're moving to California," he said firmly. "Alexis can be closer to her mother, and I can keep her safer there. They're used to celebrity kids in LA. I should have told you sooner, but I kind of thought you'd be happy to have me off your cases."

Kate studied his face for a moment, then turned away. She knew he had other things on his mind, but she had spent the weekend thinking about Rick. About him and his daughter and how she felt about both of them. She had finally made a decision about him, and now he was moving away. "I don't want you to go," she said quietly.

"What," Rick said, more out of shock than not having heard what she said.

"I want you to stay," she said more loudly. Putting on a little false bravado, she said, "I'm already a great cop, but…" she finally looked at him, and added, "You make me a better cop."

"What?" he took a small step closer then stopped.

"I want you to stay. I want you to keep helping me on my cases."

"Kate…" he began a denial.

"Will you just listen to me?" she snapped. "I think… I could love you. But I won't get a chance to find out if you leave."

"Kate," he said softly, "I don't know if I'm good enough for you. I wasn't really made for monogamy, and you deserve someone who is."

She studied him for a moment, skepticism in her expression. "When are you going to stop lying to me?" she finally said.

He looked instantly shocked.

But before he could speak, Kate continued. "I know you're worried about Alexis, and you think moving is the best thing for her, so you're shutting me down in a way that you think won't hurt me. But I want you to stay. And the best thing for Alexis is to stay, and learn to protect herself. If she leaves the city now, she'll be terrified of this place for the rest of her life. I can teach her self defense. And I can get you better security for this place."

"I don't want to move, dad," Alexis suddenly said, standing in the doorway. "No matter where we go, I'll still be scared. But knowing that Detective Beckett is near, I'll feel better. And I like the idea of learning self defense."

Rick studied both women, a sour look on his face. "Fine," he said, sounding disgusted. "But only if Beckett spends the night- _every_ night- until we get better security."

Kate laughed at him, and he immediately smiled back.

Alexis smiled, and started walking away as she said, "I'm gonna go start unpacking."

When she was gone, Kate moved to stand before Rick, her arms sliding up around his neck, and she kissed him.

After a long moment, Rick pulled away and teased, "I always knew you had the hots for me."

"Shut up," she said, and then she kissed him again.


End file.
